Month: October 2023

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Jalen Browne, 22, of Upper Marlboro, MD, was sentenced today to 810 months (67.5 years) in prison for the murders of Jovan Hill and Tariq Riley, in July of 2021, in Northwest D.C.  The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Browne was convicted on July 21, 2023, following a jury trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was found guilty of and sentenced for two counts of first-degree premeditated murder while armed, four counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, and six counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.

            According to the government’s evidence, shortly after 3:38pm on July 25, 2021, the defendant disguised himself and walked around the 100 block of Q Street, NW, eventually lying in wait to shoot young men enjoying the hot summer day. The defendant, using a backpack to catch his shell casings, fired 12 shots in succession at six young men. Narrowly missing three of his targets, the defendant hit 22-year old Jovan Hill, 19-year old Tariq Riley, and another man in the back. First responders found Jovan Hill and Tariq Riley on the ground. Both men were transported to nearby hospitals, but all life-saving efforts failed; both men died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the back. No witnesses provided information regarding the identity of the shooter. The government presented forensic, video surveillance, circumstantial, and motive evidence in securing a conviction on all counts.

            In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Acting Chief Smith commended the work of the members and detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department who investigated the case. They also recognized the members of the prosecution team, including: Charlie Bruce, Zachary McMenamin, Victim Advocates Christie Bloodworth and Deidria Ellis, and Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarity, Lauren Douglas, and Tasha Harris.  Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Wojcik and Lauren Galloway who prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Defendant Concealed over $5.1 Million in Offshore Accounts

            WASHINGTON – A U.S. citizen residing in the Principality of Monaco pleaded guilty today to tax evasion for concealing from the IRS over $5,130,000 in income derived from a real estate transaction and securities investments in offshore bank accounts.

            According to court documents and statements made in court, Stephen L. Schechter was a licensed U.S. investment banker, U.K. corporate finance advisor and owner and operator of a U.S.-based financial investment advisory firm.

            In 2002, Schechter formed an entity called Charles Penn Longview (CPL) in the British Virgin Islands. In June 2004, Schechter opened a Swiss bank account in the name of CPL at what ultimately became known as Piguet Galland & Cie SA. In doing so, he and his bank relationship manager concealed Schechter’s U.S.-citizenship status in bank documents. Until it was closed around January 2013, the account generated interest and dividends that Schechter never reported to the IRS as income.

            In June 2011, Schechter sold a Monaco apartment for approximately €14,000,000, which he deposited into his CPL account at Piguet. He subsequently used the sale proceeds to purchase $8,856,691 in various securities, on which he earned interest, dividends, and capital gains. Schechter never disclosed the income from the sale of the Monaco apartment or the securities bought from sale proceeds to his tax return preparer. Schechter knew that, as a U.S. citizen, he was obligated to report and pay taxes on his income, even if he earned it abroad and lived outside the United States.

            Schechter later opened another CPL bank account at UBS Monaco SA, closed his account at Piguet, and transferred the balance of approximately $10.2 million into the new UBS Monaco account, further earning undisclosed interest and dividends until 2017. 

            U.S. citizens and permanent residents are required annually to file a FinCEN Form 114 – Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) – if the combined balance of all foreign accounts they own, have a financial interest in or signature authority over is more than $10,000 at any point during that calendar year. However, Schechter did not file FBARs reporting his Piguet or UBS Monaco accounts.

            Schechter is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for tax evasion. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia made the announcement.

            IRS-Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

            Senior Litigation Counsel Nanette Davis and Trial Attorney George Meggali of the Tax Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Goemaat for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Christopher Wade, 40, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, to 84 months in prison for stabbing a woman as she descended into the Potomac Avenue Metro Station and for robbing another woman at knifepoint in the Eastern Market Metro Station, announced U.S. Matthew M. Graves.  Mr. Wade pleaded guilty, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, in August of 2023, to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of robbery.

            According to the government’s evidence, just after 10 p.m. on June 25, 2023, Wade saw a woman descending, alone, into the Eastern Market Metro Station. Wade waited for her at the bottom of the escalator, pushed her into a wall, and demanded her property while wielding a knife. Wade fled the Metro after stealing her phone and other property. Five days later, on June 30, 2023, Wade walked into the Potomac Avenue Metro Station just before noon. A woman stood on the escalator, alone, and Wade approached her from behind, grabbed her by the neck, and demanded her property. He then pushed her down to the stairs of the escalator and stabbed her in the arm before fleeing up the escalator and out of the Metro. After review of the surveillance footage from both incidents, Metro Transit Police Department officers were able to locate Wade and confirm he was the suspect from both incidents. 

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Transit Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine Yaske, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON – Tyrone Wiggins, 66, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to second-degree child sexual abuse, admitting that over an eight-year period, he regularly engaged in sexual acts with a minor. The plea was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Acting Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

            Wiggins pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He is to be sentenced on January 5, 2024, by the Honorable Rainey Brandt.

            According to the facts agreed to by both parties, between May 11, 1999 and October 20, 1999, when the victim was 13-years old and Wiggins was 42, Wiggins engaged in penetrative sexual acts with the victim on multiple, regular occasions. Wiggins also admitted that he had abused the victim when the victim was 10-years old; and that he continued doing so until she was 18-years old. All of the sexual abuse took place in the District of Columbia.

            This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

            This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Zubrensky, who assisted on complex legal issues and in negotiating the plea agreement.

Source: United States Department of Justice News

            WASHINGTON — A Pennsylvania man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges, including assaulting law enforcement, related to his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. He and others helped to disrupt a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to count the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election.

            Troy Spackman, 40, of West York, Pa., is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers. In addition to the felonies, Spackman is charged with misdemeanor offenses of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

            Spackman was arrested today in Harrisburg and will make his initial appearance in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

            According to court documents, Spackman traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend a rally on Jan. 6, 2021, and afterward walked toward the U.S. Capitol building and then to the side of the building with the inauguration scaffolding. Spackman was identified by federal investigators in multiple videos concerning the events of that day, wearing a black jacket and dark-colored hat with a “dk” logo. In one such video, Spackman is seen holding a cell phone above his head in his right hand and in his left hand holding two canisters of Oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray. Court documents say that the OC spray carried by Spackman appears to be Combined Tactical Systems MK-9 OC spray, a less-than-lethal product intended to cause temporary pain and injury that can, in rare instances and if used incorrectly, lead to property damage, serious bodily injury, or death.

            In another open-source video taken at the Capitol building, Spackman appears to point a canister of OC spray toward uniformed officers from an elevated position. In the video, Spackman’s right arm is extended toward the officers, holding a canister of OC spray, and appears to have a second canister of OC spray in his left rear pocket. In the video, a mist of spray comes from the canister, consistent with the deployment of OC spray. Investigators then reviewed body-worn camera footage depicting Spackman with his right arm extended, deploying the OC spray at approximately 2:31 p.m.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Office’s Capital Area Resident Agency and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 33 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,100 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fib.gov.

A complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.